5 Questions

[GoingSince1990]

I hate it when websites still have those annoying security questions when most have moved on to 2 factor authentication (looking at you, United Airlines, and no, I don’t have a “favorite sea creature”).

 

[wvjules]

I hate it when websites still have those annoying security questions when most have moved on to 2 factor authentication (looking at you, United Airlines, and no, I don’t have a “favorite sea creature”).

A narwhal!

 

[Imzadi]

Y'all are missing the point. If someone on an anonymous message board asks you these questions, don't answer.

Yes, especially when the poster NEVER posts anything else. Never goes to any other threads and posts personal anecdotes or engages with other people here. There are scammers who spend all day and night compiling info on people, hoping to match it up with info for identity theft that they bought on the black market. OR hoping to get enough info to call or email you to get money, account numbers, etc., from us. They can just possible cull the info people post on their threads waiting for some relevant info they may be able to use. The DIS is Googleable. And we have our own Search button once someone gets here. The other say, some new member found and bumped up a thread from 12 years ago. So, the archives here go back quite a ways.

Some nefarious persons can gather quite a personal profile on a person who posts on their thread and posts other personal stuff on other threads here and go to town with identity theft, creating another you that has a lot of the real info some of you gave HERE: city you live, approximate date of birth from ascertaining when you were conceived, (for some the year, since you mentioned your age in another thread,) the age of your parents and if still alive and where were they born, the age of your grandparents and if they are still alive, and where were they born, their ethnicity, the number of siblings you have and their ages, the number and ages of children you have, their names, their interests, your occupation, your interests, where else you vacation, the list goes on & on and on.


EACH of us, when we use the internet have an individual IP address. Most times when you visit a website, it can log in your IP address as well as your location, down to the block you are on, if not the exact building, like Google Maps does. Ever go to Fandango looking for a movie to watch in your city, and it knows your zip code even before you input it? I have my Google, Microsoft and Firefox set to NOT use my location for sites, yet, various sites still end up getting it.

Check for yourself. Go to Google and type in:
"What's my IP address?"

There will be a list of about 10 websites that will tell you your IP address as well as the city, and on some, the block you live on or your zip code, IF you aren't using the Internet via an VPN server which masks your IP address by funneling your stuff through their own servers and then their IP address is used instead. (Or something like that.)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Check for yourself. Go to Google and type in:
"What's my IP address?"

Well, that didn't work....

I checked about 8 different sites, and came up with 2 different locations, neither one of them correct.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Yes, especially when the poster NEVER posts anything else. Never goes to any other threads and posts personal anecdotes or engages with other people here. There are scammers who spend all day and night compiling info on people, hoping to match it up with info for identity theft that they bought on the black market. OR hoping to get enough info to call or email you to get money, account numbers, etc., from us. They can just possible cull the info people post on their threads waiting for some relevant info they may be able to use. The DIS is Googleable. And we have our own Search button once someone gets here. The other say, some new member found and bumped up a thread from 12 years ago. So, the archives here go back quite a ways.

Some nefarious persons can gather quite a personal profile on a person who posts on their thread and posts other personal stuff on other threads here and go to town with identity theft, creating another you that has a lot of the real info some of you gave HERE: city you live, approximate date of birth from ascertaining when you were conceived, (for some the year, since you mentioned your age in another thread,) the age of your parents and if still alive and where were they born, the age of your grandparents and if they are still alive, and where were they born, their ethnicity, the number of siblings you have and their ages, the number and ages of children you have, their names, their interests, your occupation, your interests, where else you vacation, the list goes on & on and on.


EACH of us, when we use the internet have an individual IP address. Most times when you visit a website, it can log in your IP address as well as your location, down to the block you are on, if not the exact building, like Google Maps does. Ever go to Fandango looking for a movie to watch in your city, and it knows your zip code even before you input it? I have my Google, Microsoft and Firefox set to NOT use my location for sites, yet, various sites still end up getting it.

Check for yourself. Go to Google and type in:
"What's my IP address?"

There will be a list of about 10 websites that will tell you your IP address as well as the city, and on some, the block you live on or your zip code, IF you aren't using the Internet via an VPN server which masks your IP address by funneling your stuff through their own servers and then their IP address is used instead. (Or something like that.)

I never post on their threads, but I do often wish someone I trusted more would post some of the interesting questions they ask. Some of them have nothing to do with security type questions, but I'm still not going to reply to them.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I used to answer the questions of a certain poster, before someone pointed out that this person's posts were suspiciously like phishing attempts. Maybe they're not, but why ask a question and then not engage with the conversation that follows? They * never* do. They've posted these sorts of messages under at least two different usernames as well. I can't believe I fell for it for as long as I did.

 

[Imzadi]

Well, that didn't work....

I checked about 8 different sites, and came up with 2 different locations, neither one of them correct.

Interesting. Your computer or phone may already be set up to not reveal your location.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Yes, especially when the poster NEVER posts anything else. Never goes to any other threads and posts personal anecdotes or engages with other people here. There are scammers who spend all day and night compiling info on people, hoping to match it up with info for identity theft that they bought on the black market. OR hoping to get enough info to call or email you to get money, account numbers, etc., from us. They can just possible cull the info people post on their threads waiting for some relevant info they may be able to use. The DIS is Googleable. And we have our own Search button once someone gets here. The other say, some new member found and bumped up a thread from 12 years ago. So, the archives here go back quite a ways.

I presume the heavy duty questioners are still asking all kinds of questions as the first page of the community board, and to a lesser degree, page 2, is usually 15-20 threads visible (to me), with the other 10-15 ignored.

And many threads here go back 20 years.

 

[Imzadi]

I used to answer the questions of a certain poster, before someone pointed out that this person's posts were suspiciously like phishing attempts. Maybe they're not, but why ask a question and then not engage with the conversation that follows? They * never* do. They've posted these sorts of messages under at least two different usernames as well. I can't believe I fell for it for as long as I did.

Definitely phishing type questions. Even if they aren't the actual phishers, they've asked questions where the answers are now Googleable for phishers to find and cull through.

I presume the heavy duty questioners are still asking all kinds of questions as the first page of the community board, and to a lesser degree, page 2, is usually 15-20 threads visible (to me), with the other 10-15 ignored.

And many threads here go back 20 years.

What's ironic is that we have moderators here who ding us if we use bad words. Yet, they allow posters to post phishing type questions over and over. That is okay.

Then we have some posters who are, "Meh, I don't care what info I post or who knows what." Yet, they get up in arms when Facebook or Google sells our info. That our info should be protected. Here in the DIS, no need for selling. If you posted it, it's Googleable.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Interesting. Your computer or phone may already be set up to not reveal your location.

Probably, I have a really good IT guy.

 

[jimmymc]

Did you know that if you do some math to your credit card numbers, you'll get a cool answer? Message me the number, expiration date, security code, and your zip, and I'll send you your magic number!

 

[Imzadi]

Here are the ACTUAL security questions for some website that I had to log into for work once so I could see my payroll info or something. I remember taking pics of the questions that are on their pop-up list to choose from. HOW MANY of these questions have been asked on the DIS by these same posters who don't post anything else than these questions?

(Click on the photos to enlarge to read.)




Haven't almost ALL of these questions been asked here or a variation of? Or volunteered as you chat about your life in other posts?

 

[Imzadi]

Did you know that if you do some math to your credit card numbers, you'll get a cool answer? Message me the number, expiration date, security code, and your zip, and I'll send you your magic number!

Would that be a big fat ZERO in your account in about five minutes?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Definitely phishing type questions. Even if they aren't the actual phishers, they've asked questions where the answers are now Googleable for phishers to find and cull through.

I'm pretty open with what I post here, including my board name (it really is my name, ha, got it off my driver's license which was on the desk next to my keyboard when I registered here over 24 years ago ) But the insidious questioning by the questioners did creep me out.

 

[Imzadi]

(it really is my name, ha, got it off my driver's license which was on the desk next to my keyboard

Considering you had 7 fake driver's license sitting on your desk at the time, sure it's your real name.

 

[goofyernmost]

I suppose I should have added the (winking) smilie to my post. I do have the heavy duty questioners who ask many personal questions on ignore, so not exposed to those for quite some time.

And yes, I agree with you fully.

I don't remember ever asking anyone personal questions that could be thought of like that. I can't even think of a reason why I would to begin with.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I don't remember ever asking anyone personal questions that could be thought of like that. I can't even think of a reason why I would to begin with.

Well, you sure are not on my ignore, @goofyernmost. You're fine in my book, I enjoy your postings.

 

[goofyernmost]

Well, you sure are not on my ignore, @goofyernmost. You're fine in my book, I enjoy your postings.

Thank you Dan, I consider that a great compliment. And right back at ya.